The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-25
A REMARKABLE OLD MAN.
How an Industrious Irishman Rose from
Day Laborer To Be Worth $150,000.

do you that old man carrying that wood
saw-there he goes into that gatel You might
take him to be wood-sawyer by profession, but
he is not. and you would hardly suspect him of
being worth $50 600, but he isl said fellow
passenger on Observation-Disclosures street-car
the other morning, to Journal man, as he
crossed Alabama street, pointing to little old
man, probably eghty-fve, or upwards, dressed
in comfortable but coarse clothing, little lame,
bat yet spry for one of his age. THAT man has
history almost romantic" continued the
speaker. HE was born in Ireland; of
large family. About sixty years ago
the father, with his only treas
ure, good wife. and eight or ten
children. ranging from young men about grown
down to the babe in the arms came to America
full OF genuine Irish pluck and push. The gov
overnment was then grading the National road.
and this Irish family pushed for In
dianapolis TO work the road.
They were year more reaching their dessi-
nation, the mother dying the way, bdt every
where they found something to do, and at prices
that ksept the family and little more SO that
when they reached indianapolis while the boys
found ready employmen with the spade and
wheelbarrow, the father took rank one grade
higher He bought yoke of oxen and cart,
went
so cents day for the spade and wheel
barrow and twice that for the man with the
cart Their job lay east Of the town. between
the town and where Irvington is They
worked every day. and every day saved a little
OF their wages Whenever enough had been
saved to buy another yoke of oxen and another
cart 1t was so expended, until all of the family
became cartmen. good yoke of oxen could
then be bought for about fifteen dollars and
cart for but little more; but it was not every
one who could paw cash down for such. a mark
of distinction. While the most of their asso-
ciates spent their money for whisky, these Irish
men bought oxen and carts with theirs From
hands they became contractors" The
work had ali been let before they
worked at long range. hiring everything
done, even the foremanizine. OF course these
broke I'D. The government had in all cases re-
served liberal per cent. on each monthly es-
innate, which was forfeited when the contractor
failed The question then was who would finish
the contract. This Irish family, with its supply
of OK carts and oxen, was always ready to pick
up a job that had work and money in it. and
they scooped in several of these unfinished con-
tracts. coming in just in time, not only to make
fair wages on the work they did, but to scoop in
also the reserved per cent. SO that they had
something to Go on almost every section be-
tween Indianapolis and Cumberland. and much
The result more money than
could be used proftably in increasing their
number of carts. About that time land was
cheap here. not more than 50 to SO an acre, and
these IrIshrnen invested, coming down to within
less than mile OF the present corporation SO
that when the road was finished they went to
farming They did not farm by proxy, but took
hold with their hands. That old man
bought quarter section the Brookyile road
where it crosses Pleasant run, and eighty acres
on the National road only mile east of the
city. and other pieces. He farmed them him
self and kept them He made his home on the
quarter-section, clearing it, fencing it, blowing
it with his own hands, with very little hired |
help He hauled wood to town and did every |
thing that was honest no matter how laborious
and that is how he made his money and saved it.
Until about twenty years ago he lived in the |
ca bD a double hewed-log, that he built at the |
first just after the close of the war he built |
large and beautiful brick houss. The carpenter |
work done by set of city mechanics |
Among them was a od-looking youth, a capital |
workman, and if not foreman contractor he
was second class hand. Now among the |
effects of the old Irishman's fortune of |
W hch he was justly proud, was a beau |
tlful girl about eighteen She had been
raised in farmer style, to milk, and churp and |
when necessary, drop corn rake hay. Some
how thst young carpenter, without sighting |
attention to the girl. and-but it is no use to 90 |
into details. They live in that fine house That
daughter Is the only living child, and the old
gen tenau lives with them That wood saw
tells it's own story. His habits of industry re-
MAN. though he is getting old. He saws wood
and does chores. and man in the city is more
espected than ''Old Tommy Moore" With all
who know him his name is synonym for in
1ustry, frugality and honesty He never de-
that can be said of him is that he always votes
the Democrats ticket"
II OTT